Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-22

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some parts of the world, people buy far too many clothes.

What are the reasons for this?
How can people be persuaded to reduce the number of clothes they buy?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

People are buying too many clothes in some parts of the world. The reasons behind is the impact of global fashion and social media. We can reduce this trend by raising public awareness of global warming and encouraging clothing recycling.

The main reasons for buying more clothes are the influence of international fashion and the internet. This is because people are strongly influenced by new trends in television shows and web series. In addition, posting photos on platforms like Facebook and Instagram creates new pressure on people to purchase trending garments. For instance, if a celebrity posts a photo wearing a dress, all fans are influenced by the outfit and post their own photos in the same clothes. Thus, a chain reaction occurs on the internet, creating tension that drives purchases of more clothes.

The actions we can take to reduce this situation are the awareness program about the carbon footprint and the recycling of clothes. The government should launch television shows that explain the impact of producing new clothing on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the communities should take care to recycle old, useful clothes. For example, there are so many thrift stores that provide used branded clothes at affordable prices, allowing people to buy them. As a result of these programs, we can reduce people's shopping mindset.

In conclusion, the main reasons for buying too many clothes are the influence of international fashion and social media platforms. Creating public awareness programs about global warming and giving old clothes a second life are the main ways to avoid this planet-damaging problem.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by identifying reasons for excessive clothing purchases (global fashion, social media, internet trends) and offering solutions (raising awareness of carbon footprints, clothing recycling, thrift stores). The position is clear throughout the essay. The ideas are generally relevant and extended with examples, such as the mention of celebrities posting photos on Instagram and Facebook or the role of thrift stores. However, some arguments could be explored in greater depth to reach a higher band. For instance, the explanation of how internet chains work is slightly superficial. Overall, the prompt is adequately covered and supported, which satisfies the requirements for a Band 6.5 to 7.0. Given the balanced development, a Band 6.5 is appropriate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear overall arrangement with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Information and ideas are logically sequenced. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt (causes in paragraph two, solutions in paragraph three). Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'In addition', 'For instance', 'Thus', and 'Furthermore', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive in structure. Referencing is generally clear, such as 'these programs' linking back to the previous discussion. While organization is effective, the slight rigidity in linking phrases keeps it within the Band 6.5 to 7 range. A score of 6.5 is a fair reflection of the cohesive control demonstrated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms like 'global fashion', 'greenhouse gas emissions', 'carbon footprint', 'thrift stores', and 'branded clothes'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though certain collocations are slightly unnatural or awkward, such as 'creating tension that drives purchases' or 'shopping mindset'. Word choice is generally appropriate and communication is not impeded at any point by lexical errors. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout the response. This performance aligns well with the Band 6 descriptor, where the vocabulary is adequate and sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like conditional clauses ('if a celebrity posts a photo...') and relative clauses ('that provide used branded clothes...'). There are some minor grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'The reasons behind is the impact' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'The actions we can take to reduce this situation are the awareness program' (article and preposition choice). Despite these lapses, the errors are non-systematic and rarely impede communication. The majority of simple sentences are accurate, and complex structures are attempted with reasonable success. This balanced control corresponds closely to the Band 6 descriptors.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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